I Have Been Busy!

Remember the Etsy craft show I was in a few weeks ago? Well I spent more than I made. Surprise!

Look at these goodies I plan on using on some future projects.

Isn't this blue ear ring beautiful?

and I love the vintage 40's style of this button.


Keys.
Not sure what I'll do with them yet but I love the scroll work on the newer key and
doesn't the other one look like an alien?



LOVE!

I had to have these watch faces! I love fonts and these were my 2 favorites faces.
I could only get two.
It was hard to pick.



At one ladies booth, she had a box full of vintage linens. I spotted the cute teal tablecloth and then digging down deeper I found the teal and yellow doilies. Hum. I think I can do something with these!

Then I remembered this pillow I had in my booth when I ran across this cutie.


See how the patterns match?
I will make a companion pillow to go with the quilted one.
I just love coming up with all kinds of creative ways to reuse and repurpose.

So this last weekend I began to put some stuff together.



Here is the 1st finished pillow.
I used the items I found in the box and then I found a vintage napkin I had so the doily would have a white background to separate it from the tablecloth.

This is the back. I couldn't leave it blank.






Can you see the cup ring stain?
I love that it was on the tablecloth, so I positioned it on the back so I could use it as an embellishment.

All of the buttons were in my Mom's collection.
I could not believe how well this one matched!
I also love it when things come together unexpectedly.
It's like it was suppose to happen.


Here is what I have so far.
Need to finish some and I have a bit more tablecloth fabric to make 1 more pillow.



This beauty was in a booth that I looked across the isle at ALL weekend.

Since I wasn't making any sales I knew I shouldn't buy any more supplies.

Plus I had already bought the small goodies.

They wanted $50.00.

On the last day I decided if it was still there I'd offer $35.00. I needed a different color pallet to offer my potential clients. Not everyone is into pink, green, teal and yellow.

Right?

Well they said $40.00.

I said

OK

I just had to have it.

I'm not sure when I'll get the inspiration to make things out of it but I am thinking on it.

So, for the time being I am going to start a personal inspirational photo, poem, thoughts journal. I have been seeing them on other blogs and with all the difficult things we have been facing I thought it might help me get my thoughts down and a crafty fun way seemed best.

I am going to try to put the pillows in a local coffee shop and some of the others in my Etsy store. If you would love to own these cuties or know someone who would, leave me a message here before I list them. Prices range from $10.00 to $15.00 for the pillows. You can see the others are on my older blog here

http://theeccentriclady.blogspot.com/2010/07/hello-is-anybody-home.html

I'm off to bed for now and looking forward to starting my journal after work tomorrow!

Some Favorites

Last night while finishing my book by Geraldine Brooks we were watching Palladia and I found a new favorite blues artist. Joe Bonamassa.
http://www.jbonamassa.com/
If you like Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughn then you need to check this young man out. I had an ITunes card I had not used yet from my Speedy Rewards so I immediately went and down loaded his cd from the Royal Albert Hall. I will be jamming for a few days!

Now back to Geraldine. She is now one of my favorite authors.

I chose People of the Book for my Book Club last year. I knew it would give us lots to discuss. I enjoyed her style of writing so when I found March in my local used book store I decided to give it a try. Well, I was not disappointed.

Back to the used book store to see what else she might have of Geraldine's and I got The Year of Wonders. I just love the style with which she gives her characters a voice. Her style is easy to read and she includes facts that gives you the desire to find out more. I do enjoy historical fiction so these 3 books satisfy my desire to learn about things in the past while enjoying a story to go along with it.

Another artist I have just found in the folksy type genre is Peter Bradley Adams. I found him on facebook on a pop up! Take a listen to I Can Not Settle Down.
http://www.peterbradleyadams.com/

I really like Patty Griffen her lyrics give me lots to think about as I listen to her beautiful songs.

http://www.pattygriffin.com/
I suggest you listen to Heavenly Day, Up to the Mountain.

One more artist is Dar Williams. Again awesome lyrics. If you have a child leaving the nest I definitely love The One Who Knows. I put these lyrics on my daughters graduation announcement. Tear jerker!
http://www.darwilliams.com/

I hope I have given you some things to look into this week and I hope you enjoy! I am just about healed up. Feeling much better so I will be spending a lot of time editing my portraits from the last week now that I can sit at the computer again. I did a couple of really fun sessions last week. I may have to force you to look at some of my images!

Pain is not for whimps!

Oh to be able to sit like this and relax.

Instead, I have to lay flat or stand.

I now understand why a beloved pet can snap at us when in pain. I have a very bad disposition at this moment and I just want to gnaw my legs off!

I have had a painful week and have not felt like updating. Plus, it is difficult to type in a horizontal position. I am on the mend and hope for a better week after a rest in bed today and Sunday.

So for today I'll just wish Alphonse Mucha a Happy Birthday and share some of his wonderful art work he graced us with.

Hello! Is Anybody Home?

Where has she been? You are all wondering.

Well, at least I hope someone out there has been wondering about me.

No, I did not get stuck in Wonderland but I got lost in craft land.

Look at this mess! My dinning room exploded. Well, it didn't explode but my craft supplies did.

I had a big show to participate in with my local Etsy, Handmade Dayton team.

We participated in the Springfield Antique Extravaganza, in Ohio.

I have been spending every waking minute when not working in my portrait studio, making things. Here are a few of those items.

I really hated this book so I decided to give it a useful life. No one else would want to read it. Great for holding notes, bills, photos.

New selection of my Bitty Sentiments.

Some pendants I decided to venture into. They were fun to make!

Then there are my lovelies!

I spent the entire 4th weekend sewing these pillows and bags made from a cutter quilt I have been hanging on to for 2 years. I went to JoAnn Fabrics to find fabric for the backs and ruffles expecting to choose old fashioned prints, but these retro prints just kept calling to me. Don't you think they look great?

Then I made the decision to use my Mom's vintage buttons. Why should I horde her buttons. She is not in the buttons. I decided to let other people enjoy them and give them a new life just like the old quilt.

I had so much fun playing with supplies I have been collecting for years.


Here are all the pillows I could get done before the show.

I decided I wanted to make a messenger bag. I just made this whole thing up. Used an old tablecloth to back it.

I made 2 different bags.


Cute little paper roses made from old books.

And here is the display at the show.






I wish I could say it was a smashing success but, we have not had as profitable a weekend as we all had hoped. We still have tomorrow but Sunday is traditionally slow at this show. I will be posting some of this in my Etsy shop and trying some in a local shop. I guess I better not quit my day job.

The Eccentric Tea Party. It's finally here!

What a beautiful evening for a tea party!

When I read about A Fanciful Twist's Mad Hatter Tea Party 2010 http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/

I knew I just had to join in the fun with all the other bloggers.

I have a little wonderland in my backyard where I have a little bristo table with a chandelier along with my wonderful swing. I spend many hours escaping life's stresses here in my wonderland.

We all need a bit of fantasy in our lives, don't you think?

Oh! I am so excited to bring you along. Well, come on lets go through here...

Oh My! here is the doorknob...




And the key! OH, look at the cobwebs, I haven't been here for a while.

Look! look over there. Here we are!




Oh, what a lovely setting. Everything is waiting for us. And it is so pretty.

Look at the table cloth. and the chandelier!
Oh the cups are so cute, and the napkins. Ummm, look at the truffles!

Oh Dear, Here I go again, forgetting my manners. Just rambling on and on. Oh, Well, ah, my, here, have a seat won't you.


Look at the lovely cupcakes baked by http://theunseasonedchef.blogspot.com/

they look so delicious! She is so talented. ;)

Oh Dear! What time is it?

Is anyone else coming?

I wonder?

I hope they are not late!

OK Mr. Rabbit, we will have a cupcake and cookies.

Why must you always be in such a hurry?

Well..... there is that Cheshire Cat. He is such a nuisance. Does he look funny to you?

That cookie did have a different flavor. Oh My...


Here, lets have a spot of tea. Tea always makes everything better!

Have another cup cake too. UMMM


The Mad Hatter is hiding but I see his bike.


Oh, there he is. He is sulking because he couldn't find his good top hat, but I like this one with his skin tone. Don't you agree?



"Sigh" I am getting rather tired. I think I will lie down on the swing and take a nap, then I will finish my book about Mr. Lewis Carroll. He is such an interesting man with such silly stories. I just don't know where he gets them.

Good night all, I hope you enjoyed yourselves. Remember to visit all the other parties. Maybe I'll see you there!

Happy Fathers Day!

My Dad has been gone for many years now so this is not a day that has a lot of meaning for me. It's more about my girls and their Dad. My oldest daughter, who is away at college posted this for her Dad. I thought it was wonderful so I'm posting the link so you can see it too! She nailed her Dad and as he was reading it this afternoon, he go choked up! Hope you like it. This is way better than Hallmark! Just saying :)

http://lizzziekate.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-daddy.html